9.29.2014

I've had a few fashion emergencies over the past few weeks when I realized that every photo taken while I'm teaching has me wearing one of the same 3 outfits... so since I had a weekend at home I thought I should devote some time to making a new dress!

I got a great heavy weight cabled (but flat) olive green knit while in Sante Fe at Santa Fe fabrics and thought it would make the perfect Amelia. I had sewn this dress in a woven cotton this spring, and love it, but the zipper is a wee bit wonky. By trying it in a knit I could skip cutting it on the bias, and the zipper and therefor save fabric and a major headache (imho).

I ended up making a few other mods as well, like getting rid of the back darts, shortening the height of the shoulder instead of the waist (this made the armhole smaller), which is a good thing for my short torso, and moving the front darts to my apex (ahem).

And, then I realized the belt I had knit this summer for another design is PERFECT for this dress. It's just a long garter stitch band with a Jul Designs shawl closure.

So, if you see me this fall I'll probably be wearing this dress! Another plus about getting it done was that we got to use it in today's shoot for the final pattern in Just One More.... look for that next week.

9.23.2014

I just got back from the most glorious weekend away signing and teaching and celebrating Knockout Knits at Lion Brand Yarn Studio in NYC and Trillium Yarns in Morristown, NJ. I get so much energy while sharing my work that I came home energized and ready to hit the ground running...Want to see?

The amazing Valery (one of Knockout Knits models) came and I coerced her into showing the Loco Shawl! Thanks Val!

Signing, signing, signing... friends, family and knitters all attended!
Even my Mom and Dad were there (and we forgot to get a pic... DUH!)

I got to meet Ingrid (and her sweet friend who looked amazing in the Folly Cloche) in real life!

I taught 3 great classes at Lion Brand (sorry, no pics!) but I was especially in love with the Elongated Stitches class... my students learned lots of tricks and tips for working with Elongated Stitches from Knockout Knits... and then they learned how to bead them and make the cuff above! This pattern is only available when you take my Elongated Stitches class. I'm teaching it next up at The Yarn Spot in MD and Vogue Knitting Live in NYC.... see my workshops page for more info!

Grand Opening of Trillium Yarns

Teaching in Trillium Yarns new garden patio... such fun to get to teach outside! Luckily no beads spilled and my students had a great time learning to knit jewelry in the fresh air!!

The fabulous Lori Versaci of Versaci Knits came to class, as well as Linda and Shannon, my new BFF's!

And in the middle of it all I snuck away with Sara from Yarns at Yin Hoo to record a podcast episode... in her car, on the roof of a parking garage! Hysterical! The podcast is up and you can listed to it here. We had a great time recording and I think you'll enjoy it!

I was lucky enough to be hosted, chauffeured and wined and dined all weekend by Kirsten Kapur of Through The Loops... I adore Kirsten and we had a fabulous weekend together (and never ran out of things to talk about!) Kirsten reviewed Knockout Knits on Thursday... and by Friday had finished the Prolix Mitts, photographed and blogged them! Go Kirsten! Don't you love the yarn she hand-dyed and knit them in?

Kirsten's Hand-Dyed Prolix Mitts

This might be the longest blog post ever! Thankyou to Lion Brand Yarn Studio and their AMAZING staff and Bev at Trillium Yarns... and to Kirsten for being her awesome self! Y'all made it so fun! Let's do it again!!!

Next trip is to Vancouver for Knit City! Can't wait for some Canadian West Coast action! (and that long plane ride.... oh the knitting!)

And though
Kirsten and Bev might kill me I can't help but post this AMAZING photo
of them decked out in all the samples from Knockout Knits at the grand
opening.... I added snow for effect : )!

9.15.2014

Oh what a night.... Knitting Etc (my LYS) threw me a fantabulous release party for Knockout Knits on Friday evening! There were knitters, friends from near and far, snacks, wine and CAKE! Luckily I remembered to deputize my dear friend to take pics... so I can share the event with you!

So fun to watch knitters perusing through the book for projects!

I learned quickly to keep my handwriting neat : )!

Many designs from the book were out... and lots of fondling was had! (and yarn bought!)

Mo and I getting to talk IRL for the first time : )!

Meet Chelsey... who taught me to knit at a playdate when our girls were toddlers!

CAKE! (Pro Tip: at Wegman's they will print an image onto edible paper for you!)

We learned that 10 year old girls REALLY like the Cha-Ching Mitts (on the cover!)

Pretty much the best montage I have ever made of just a few of my favorite people who came on Friday!

Sorry to those of you missing from these photos.. rest assured I know you were there and am thrilled you could celebrate with me... starting my fall events at home was more than I could have hoped for! Thankyou Hickory, Steven, Dawn, Robin and all the Knitting Etc staff for throwing a PARTY!

Next up: This weekend I'll be at Lion Brand Yarns in New York City for a book signing and classes and at Trillium Yarns at their new home in Morristown, New Jersey! WOOT!

9.05.2014

The moment the skein of Stonehedge Fiber Mill Fine landed on my doorstep to use in Knockout Knits I KNEW I was going to design a pattern I could make a kit with! I just love that it ended up being on the cover of the book as well... it's like the universe wants us all to make the Cha-Ching Mitts!

Cha-Ching Mitts are based on a traditional coin stitch with an
unexpected twist, Delica beads! I haven't used Delica beads in a kit before as they are more expensive and harder to find, but their cylindrical shape was just too perfect and I had to do it. (see the color swatches below to view their shape) The kit is packaged in a clear plastic tube, keeping
the yarn safe but visible. The easy-to-memorize stitch pattern is both
charted AND written out! And as always, video tutorials are included to help with
learning the stitch. And then, of course, I had to make a matching Cha-Ching Tam as well.

And also, if you stalk Amazon knitting book ratings (like I am going to admit doing lately) you'll see that Knockout Knits is NUMBER 1 (in knitting books!) Thankyou so much for your support and spreading the word about my labor of love! And to those of you who have already written such glorious reviews, THANKYOU!

9.02.2014

I've been waiting for this day for so long I'm not even quite sure how to do it!

I'm going to start with a check-in with my editor, Caitlin, as it only seems fitting to share the day with her... and then there's an interview with a newspaper (yes, I wrote that.) And then I'm going to do what 1st world parents have done for the last few decades... take my girl back to school shopping! And then yoga, as I might need by then!

I'll be telling the story of writing my book at events this fall... I'm not letting myself get nervous (more yoga!)... hopefully I'll meet many of you at those!

But first, there are a final few patterns from Knockout Knits to show you. These are some of my favorites which I saved for today!